Apparatus for receiving cigarettes or similar rod-like articles



June 19, 1962 I c. BEST APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING CIGARETTES 0R SIMILAR ROD-LIKE ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1960 m NT E S V E W B H k V! C June 19, 1962 c BEST 3,039,590

APPARATUS FOR RE CEIVING CIGARETTES OR SIMILAR ROD'LIKE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 25, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lA/VE/VTUR Cymz 1555f BY UM, aw law A TTORNE Y5 June 19, 1962 c. BEST 3,039,590

APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING CIGARETTES OR SIMILAR ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 25, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E u ll INVENTOR Cy R14 @557- Math-a5 Z4, 9% m A TTORA/EYS Unite This invention concerns apparatus for receiving cigarettes or similar rod-like articles from the cut-off of a continuous rod cigarette-making machine, or from any other source of lengthwise moving articles.

In the co-pending US. application, Serial No. 5,933 filed February 1, 1960, there is described apparatus for receiving cigarettes from the cut-off of a continuous rod cigarette-making machine comprising, among other things, a fluted drum into which the cigarettes are moved, and arranged so as to deliver the cigarettes in two side-by-side rows on to the catcher band of the machine. For this purpose alternate cigarettes are delivered into alternate flutes of the drum and move along the flutes by different amounts so that a cigarette in one flute is spaced lengthwise from that in the next flute by substantially the space desired between the side-by-side rows on the band. Cigarettes in the respective flutes are located by stops and subjected to braking forces to reduce their axial movements by friction devices and/or suction devices. It has been found that the alignment of cigarettes in a row and the distance between the rows is not as perfect as is desirable and the present invention relates to various improvements in the fluted drum device which result in a better disposition of the rows on the catcher band. This better disposition is of special importance when cigarettes on the catcher band are to be automatically collected.

There are other cases in which the position of a rodlike article in a fluted drum is of importance, for example, in making filter-tip cigarettes, or the stubs therefor, an article may be delivered endwise into the flutes of a drum and be subjected to a cutting operation therein to divide the article into two or more lengths, or the articles may be delivered to other devices for cutting after being aligned in the fluted drum.

According to the invention there is provided fluted drum apparatus for receiving rod-like articles comprising means for feeding an article lengthwise into a flute, a stop in said flute adapted to position an article lengthwise therein, a shroud covering a flute at the receiving position and substantially sealing the flute to provide a tubular passage, and a device for causing air pressure within said passage suflicient to feed an article a short distance into contact with a stop, the first said means being arranged fto deliver said article to a position which is the said short distance from the stop.

' ing device in order to control the article movement so as toensure that the article comes to rest at the desired position before it reaches the stop.

The air pressure may be applied to the flute by a nozzle entering the shroud and passing air thereinto, that is, a positive air pressure, or by suction from the remote end of the flute, in which case the pressure is the difference between atmospheric pressure and the reduced pressure due to suction; or by a combination of these two methods.

The air pressure is such that there is a gentle force urging the article onwards to the stop and such that should the article rebound a trifle it will be urged forwards again to rest against the stop. In other words there States Patent is nothing resembling an air blast or a pulse of Pressure applied to the article.

Where a drum is long enough to receive articles so located that two rows may be formed on a delivery band on to which the drum delivers the articles, in which case successive articles are fed into alternate flutes, it may be expedient under some circumstances to supply further pressure to those flutes arranged to receive and stop articles at a position more remote from the entry end than the other flutes and this may be done by a small nozzle entering the shroud. Normally this is not necessary but if the shroud is not a suflicicntly close fit to the drum, this nozzle is useful. Even in this case the air through the nozzle is in a sufliciently gentle stream to cause no appreciable rebound of an article from the stop when advanced to the stop by the pressure of the air.

An example of the invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section and corresponding generally to FIGURE 1 of the specification referred to;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of FIGURE 1 showing the fluted drum, but with a grooved wheel and some associated parts omitted;

FIGURE 3 is a view resembling a fragment of FIG- URE- 1 but taken at a position around the axis of the fluted drum different from that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 shows a drum generally similar to that of FIGURE 1 but shorter, and adapted for the reception of multiple-length stubs as used in the filter-tip art;

FIGURE 5 is a section of FIGURE 1 on the line 5--5,

For convenience of comparison the same references are used as in the said copending application referred to for parts which are substantially identical.

Referring to the drawings 1 is the cigarette rod which moves in the direction of the arrow. It is cut into separate cigarettes C1 on the line marked C--O and the following rod will push a cut cigarette along over a plate 2. Above this plate is rotatably mounted a wheel 3 having a hollow interior from which suction is exerted through perforations (not shown) in the rim of the wheel. The wheel rim has helical grooves 5 cut in it and the said perforations are in these grooves. A cut cigarette pushed by the following rod into a groove of the wheel will be attracted to said Wheel by suction, applied at the correct, time, and carried along over the plate 2. The peripheral speed of the wheel exceeds the rod speed, say by 10% and in this way a cigarette can be separated from the following rod.

To the left of the wheel in FIGURE} there is a fluted drum 6 and just below it is a conveyor band 7, the catcher band, which is a normal feature of a cigarette machine. Stops 8 and 9 are fitted in the flutes of the drum and it will be seen from FIGURE 1 that alternate flutes contain a stop 8 and a stop 9 respectively. In this way alternate cigarettes delivered to the drum, as hereafter described, can come to rest against the stops and be located in the drum so that when they are deposited by the drum on to the catcher band two side-by-side rows of cigarettes are formed on the band.

Each half-length of the drum 6 is provided in the manner shown in FIGURE 1 of the said copending application referred to with a cigarette arresting device which is arranged to engage a moving cigarette and exert light friction on it, sufiicien t to arrest its axial movement in due course, the aim being to bring alternate cigarettes to rest just before they touch the stops 8 or 9.

An arresting device consists of a strip-like spring 22 FIGURE 2 bent as shown. The flutes having the stops 9 are deeper than those having the stops 8 so that cigarettes in the deep grooves can pass the arresting device for the 3 cigarettes in the other grooves without hindrance. This difference in depth may be seen in FIGURE 2 at 62.

A cigarette will be conveyed over the plate 2, being dragged by the wheel 3 and owing to the angular disposition of the wheel, and the helix of the groove 5 the cigarette will be fed sideways by the wheel. The cigarette is carried forwards laterally by the helix movement and enters a drum flute which is timed to receive a cigarette as the wheel feeds it forwards. If said cigarette enters a flute provided with a stop 8 it needs to be arrested promptly and this is effected by the friction of the spring 22.

A cigarette entering the next flute is handled in the same manner but as it has a long way to travel in a flute it is checked more gently and at a later stage. Further details of the arrangements so far described may be found in this said copending application referred to.

However it has been found with such an arrangement that while the row on the catcher band which is nearer to the wheel 3 is reasonably straight the more remote row is often quite irregular. This would not matter for cases where an attendant picks up the cigarettes from the band but it is very unsatisfactory if the cigarettes are to be mechanically collected.

To improve the performance of the device the following additions have been made.

The axial speed of the cigarettes in the flutes containing stops 8 and as modified by the braking force is sufficient to carry them to, say, 5 mm. from the stops 8. A concave shroud Z8 is fitted as closely as possible around the drum and overhangs the end at the position near a nozzle 40, FIGURE 2. In the drawings the space between shroud and drum is exaggerated for clearness but in actual fact it is about 0.003". Air is passed through the nozzle at sufficient pressure just to urge the cigarettes in the flutes containing the stops 8 along the flutes and against the stops, without rebound. This air pressure will operate on all the cigarettes and as stated will ensure that those intended to meet the stops 8 will do so. It will be seen that the nozzle 4-0 extends around the drum for a considerable angle so that cigarettes are being urged towards the stops for some time.

For cigarettes intended to meet the stops 9 the braking device is also so adjusted that the cigarettes come to rest about 4 mm. or 5 mm. from the stops. This means that there is less braking force applied than in the case of the other cigarettes because they have farther to travel under the same initial force although the air pressure is acting for a longer time. Also the brake spring is fitted farther along the flutes. The final movement of the articles to contact the stops is caused only by the air pressure from nozzle 40.

Cigarettes received in the fluted drum 6 are carried round by the drum rotation, see arrow in FIGURE 2, and deposited on the catcher band without shock as the band only travels slightly slower than the peripheral speed of the drum. The shroud 28 also serves to retain the cigarettes in the flutes during this movement.

The above-described apparatus has been found satisfactory but if extra air pressure is required to move cigarettes to the stops 9, say for very long drums or where the clearance between shroud and drum is too great to afford the desired substantial sealing referred to previously, a nozzle such as 41 may be provided to augment the pressure at that position.

It will be seen that the effect caused by the nozzle 40 could be caused by an equivalent suction effect applied at the left-hand end of the flutes FIGURE 1, or, if desired, pressure at one end and suction at the other may be used. It does not appear to be necessary to illustrate these obvious equivalents.

In the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes, or stubs to provide the filters, frequent use is made of fluted drums and an example is shown in FIGURE 4-. In this case the drum is shorter and is marked 50 and as only one row of multiple-length stubs S is delivered to the catcher band 51, only one set of stops 52 is required and all the flutes of the drum 50 are alike. A shroud 53 and nozzle 54 are provided as before. The stub lengths S in this example are of a particular kind having gaps at 55 with lengths of filter material between the gaps. Eventually the lengths S are divided into three parts on the lines 56, each part providing two mouthpiece stubs said parts being bisected after assembly with pieces of cigarette rod. It is very desirable that these divisions shall be made as accurately as possible because at the final division the open spaces provided by bisecting a gap occurs at ends of finished cigarettes and any irregularity is noticeable and objectionable. It is therefore essential to get the best possible alignment on the band as the stubs are conveyed by it to cutting devices, or they could be delivered to a second drum for cutting.

Referring to FIGURE 5 which shows a detail improvement, the movement of freshly cut cigarettes over the plate 2 causes small fragments of tobacco to be deposited on the plate and this is undesirable as the accumulation may lead to tobacco clogging the holes in the wheel 3, or, generally speaking, making the whole apparatus dirty. To prevent this the plate is perforated at 60 and a suction nozzle 61 takes away the dust as it occurs.

What I claim to be my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Fluted drum apparatus for receiving rod-like articles in the manufacture of cigarettes comprising means for feeding an article lengthwise into a flute, a stop in said flute adapted to position an article lengthwise therein, said feeding means being arranged to deliver said article to a position which is a short distance from the stop, a shroud covering a flute at the receiving position and substantially sealing the flute to provide a tubular passage, a device for causing air pressure withinsaid passage suflicient to cause an article delivered to said position to move into contact with the stop, and a braking device to control the movement of an article by the said feeding means so as to ensure that the article comes to rest at the desired position before it reaches the stop.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a nozzle is provided to apply air pressure to the flute entering the shroud and passing air thereinto.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the air pressure is caused by suction from the end of the flute remote from the end at which an article enters the flute.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a drum of a length to receive articles so located that two rows may be formed on a delivery band onto which the drum delivers the articles, in which case successive articles are fed into alternate flutes, and in which means are provided to supply further air pressure to those flutes arranged to receive and stop articles at a position more remote from the entry end than the other flutes, said means comprising a small nozzle entering the shroud at a position beyond the stops for the said other flutes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,838,193 Rundell Dec. 29, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 770,173 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1957 

